Prevention must balance C-10′s punishment, top police chief says

In a Monday morning press conference, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson celebrated the impending passage of the Conservatives’ omnibus crime bill while the president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police suggested it’s time to stop the ‘tough on crime’ message.

“Parliament has seen and debated these measures — some of them for as long as four years,” Nicholson said in anticipation of Bill C-10’s third reading in the House of Commons. “The time for talk is over; the time for action is now. Canadians have given us a strong mandate to build a strong, safer Canada. This legislation does precisely that.”

The Safe Streets and Communities Act re-introduces 9 bills that include measures such as mandatory minimum sentences for drug possession and tougher penalties for young offenders.

As the Conservatives promised during the federal election campaign, they appear poised to meet their goal of passing the legislation within the first 100 sitting days of the parliamentary session.

Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police head, Dale McFee, was less congratulatory, focusing on words such as “balance” and “common sense”.

“We’ve got this distinction — hard and soft on crime — that quite frankly, I think on behalf of the policing in this country, we need to stop,” McFee said.

“We’re not going to arrest our way out of troubles, but we’re not going to stop arresting.”

McFee stressed the need for increased funding of early intervention and prevention programs, and said they would lead to significant savings in the long-run.

“Unless we do both … we’re missing a piece. I look forward to discussing this with our present government as we go forward.”

McFee’s reserved statements contrasted with those of Elizabeth Pousoulidis, president of the Association of Families of Persons Assassinated or Disappeared.

Pousoulidis temporarily shook the press conference out of its languor when she intensely reiterated Nicholson’s justification for C-10.

“AFPAD supports tougher sentences for major crimes. We insist that criminals found guilty of those crimes by a jury of their peers must assume their responsibilities and consequences of their acts before being considered for release,” she said.

“We encourage our government of Canada — we encourage our country to continue being tough on crime and putting the safety of its citizens — of us all — in equal importance as the right of criminals.”

Origin
Source: iPolitico